Contact Cody Wessel by phone, text, or email to ask about current availability.

A reservation deposit is required to hold your share. The deposit is applied toward the final Wessel Ranch purchase price and is not an additional charge.

Call or text:
+1 (406) 530-7089

Email:
beef@wesselranch.com

Or fill out our form!

Absolutely!

Our beef comes from cattle raised using responsible management practices. Cody is Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Certified and applies those principles throughout his work on the ranch. 

Depending on availability, customers may reserve a whole, half, quarter, eighth, or another practical ownership share approved by Wessel Ranch and the processor.

Smaller or unusual share sizes may not always be available because processing, packaging, labeling, and ownership records must be handled properly.

Our standard price is $6.75 per pound of hanging weight, plus processing.

Customers who pay by cash, check, or ACH bank transfer receive a $0.25 per pound discount, bringing the price to $6.50 per pound, plus processing.

What is hanging weight?

Hanging weight is the weight of the carcass after slaughter and initial dressing, but before aging, cutting, trimming, and packaging.

Example (800 lb hanging weight):

Whole Beef: $5,400 standard ($5,200 with cash, check, or ACH), plus processing

Half Beef: $2,700 standard ($2,600 with cash, check, or ACH), plus processing

Quarter Beef: $1,350 standard ($1,300 with cash, check, or ACH), plus processing

Eighth Beef: $675 standard ($650 with cash, check, or ACH), plus processing

Final cost depends on the animal's actual hanging weight and your selected processing options.

No. The deposit is subtracted from the final Wessel Ranch balance.

For example, if an eighth share has an estimated Wessel Ranch price of $675 and you have already paid a $150 reservation deposit, your estimated remaining Wessel Ranch balance would be $525, plus processing and any other applicable charges.

If you pay by cash, check, or ACH, your estimated Wessel Ranch price would be $650, your reservation deposit would be $150, and your estimated remaining Wessel Ranch balance would be $500, plus processing and any other applicable charges.

Timing depends on which animal or calf crop you reserve.

A nearly finished animal may be ready within weeks or months. A calf reserved before November will generally continue growing and finishing until late summer or fall of the following year.

After slaughter, customers should usually expect approximately three to four weeks for aging, cutting, wrapping, freezing, and processor scheduling.

All dates and timelines are estimates only.

Wessel Ranch normally sells unreserved steer calves near the end of November.

Reserving before November allows us to sort and retain an animal for your order before the remaining calves are shipped.

Reservations may still be available after November, but whole animals and specific share sizes cannot be guaranteed.

Yes. Customers may provide cutting instructions for their share.

Available options may include steak thickness, package size, roast size, ground-beef packaging, patties, brisket, ribs, soup bones, organs, and other available cuts.

We are happy to help first-time customers complete their cutting instructions.

Our standard ground-beef blend is approximately 80% lean and 20% fat, commonly called 80/20.

Customers may request a leaner or richer blend when the available trim and processor’s capabilities allow it.

Customers may request pre-made patties (for an additional fee) when processor’s capabilities allow it.

Exact percentages cannot always be guaranteed.

Wessel Ranch typically requests at least 14 days of hanging time before cutting and wrapping.

We believe 14 days or more generally provides a good balance of tenderness, flavor, and yield.

Customers may request more (usually up to 21 days) or less aging, subject to processor approval, scheduling, storage availability, and possible additional charges.

Wessel Ranch beef is typically grain finished because we believe it produces more consistent tenderness, marbling, flavor, and overall eating quality.

The cattle continue to have access to hay or grass and are provided ample room to move.

Grass finishing may be available upon request, although it may take longer and may produce leaner beef with less marbling.

As a general planning estimate, we recommend:

Whole beef: 16–20 cubic feet

Half beef: 8–10 cubic feet

Quarter beef: 4–5 cubic feet

Eighth beef: 2–3 cubic feet

Actual freezer needs depend on packaged yield, cut selection, freezer layout, and how much other food is already stored.

Custom-exempt processing allows the owner of a live animal or ownership share to have that animal slaughtered and processed for private use.

Custom exempt does not mean unregulated or unsafe. The facility must follow applicable sanitation, recordkeeping, labeling, facility, and humane-handling requirements and is subject to government inspection.

However, a government inspector is not continuously present to inspect each individual animal and carcass during slaughter.

Packages are marked “Not for Sale.”

No, not legally.

Custom-exempt beef is intended for the owner, members of the owner’s household, and the owner’s nonpaying guests.

It cannot legally be resold, traded, bartered, or donated.

Beef processed under the custom exemption cannot be resold or served by a restaurant.

However, restaurants, caterers, food trucks, retailers, and other commercial customers are encouraged to contact us.

We may be able to arrange for cattle to be processed through an appropriately inspected facility so the beef can legally be sold or served.

Free pickup is available at Wessel Ranch or Ryan Grocery and Processing when arranged in advance.

Delivery (done by Wessel Ranch) or shipping (ie. UPS) may be available upon request and at the buyer’s expense.

Availability depends on distance, schedule, temperature, packaging requirements, carrier service, cost, and applicable laws.

Customers from any state are welcome to contact us.

Out-of-state arrangements must be reviewed individually because laws governing custom-exempt beef, transportation, shipping, possession, and delivery may vary.

Wessel Ranch cannot guarantee that every interstate request can be accommodated.

Before Wessel Ranch confirms that an animal or share has been specifically retained for you, the deposit may be refundable.

After an animal or share has been retained for your order, the deposit becomes nonrefundable.

After the animal has been delivered for slaughter or processed under your ownership, you remain responsible for the full amount due.

The complete cancellation policy applies to all reservations.

No.

Every weight, price, yield, date, processing estimate, freezer-space estimate, and other number shown on this page is provided only as a general planning estimate.

Actual results may be higher, lower, earlier, later, or otherwise different.

No number is guaranteed unless Wessel Ranch provides that guarantee to the customer in writing.

Customers may request pre-made patties (for an additional fee) when processor’s capabilities allow it.

We accept:

💳 Credit and debit cards

🏦 ACH bank transfers

💵 Cash

✔️ Checks

To help keep beef prices as low as possible, we offer a discount for customers who pay by cash, check, or ACH. The discount is applied automatically at checkout or when your payment is received. We are still happy to accept payment by card though!